The Boy in Green

Waterford Under-15s captain Cormac Lowry had tremendous news this week when he was called up to the Republic of Ireland Under-16s team for two friendly matches in Poland. It’s a great reward for an exciting young player who has really caught the eye this year with mature performances and prolific goalscoring from midfield.

The Carlow native is one is one of five players given their first international call-ups for this camp along with forwards Kai Morrall of Liverpool and Sheikhan Aljabir of Shels plus defenders Alfie Bedlow of Burton Albion and Shelbourne’s Joe McKeown. Ireland face Poland at 4pm Irish time on Monday in Zary and again on Thursday (12pm) in Szprotawa. Cormac and co met for training in Abbotstown today (Saturday) before flying out to Poland at 6am on Sunday. I caught up with the new Boy in Green before he departed and he told me, “I feel very proud, I suppose, because it’s my goal to play for Ireland all my life.”

 

 

A free-scoring attacking midfielder, Lowry only turned 15 in June, but was promoted to the Under-17s on their run to the Mark Farren Cup final. Lowry started both the thrilling semi-final win over UCD and last week’s cup final defeat to St Pat’s in Bray. A natural leader like his fellow Carlowman, club captain Pádraig Amond, he has also been skippering the Under-15s, who are in a tight battle with UCD at the top of the Tier Two South table in the second phase of their league. It’s been a hectic and exciting season and this international recognition is another big step in his progression. Asked whether he was expecting the call from Ireland manager Jason Donohue, Cormac admits he “wasn’t really, but I knew I had worked hard to get there.”

That dedication is something that Head of Academy Mike Geoghegan highlights in Lowry too. “We are delighted to see Cormac get a call-up to the Under-16 Ireland squad that travels to Poland next week,” he effuses. “It is a great achievement for a talented, hard-working player who always gives everything.” Geoghegan and all in the academy system have monitored his development meticulously over the past two years and challenged him by bringing him up a grade. “We promoted him this season to the Under-17s and he started the cup semi-final and final. He impressed the international coaches on his recent visits to the Future Pathways programme in Abbotstown.” No matter the test, Cormac has stepped up to the mark.

Cormac began playing with New Oak FC in Carlow at the age of 5 and captained them to league wins at both Under 12s and 13s level. He then joined Waterford’s academy and has been thriving with the Blues. “I’ve had a great time since I started with Waterford FC two years ago,” he says enthusiastically. “I have got so many opportunities from the coaching staff like getting awarded Under-14s Player of the Year, captain of the Under-15s squad for this season, getting picked to go to Fleetwood and play with them, and in the last couple of months, the chance to play up with the Under-17s.”

 

 

The make-up of Donohue’s twenty-man Ireland squad for this camp illustrates the difficulty of getting players into international teams. Sixteen come from Dublin clubs, two are based in England, with just Jamie O’Donnell of Derry City and Lowry representing the provinces. Post-Brexit, the majority of underage caps are players from League of Ireland academies, but whether the predominance of Dublin-based players is a fair indication of superior quality or not is a hot topic of debate around the country. It hasn’t stopped Lowry anyway and he isn’t the only one attracting international attention either as Geoghegan tells me, “He joins Bobby Keohan who attended the Under-17 training camp this week. Well done to both.”

With Cormac travelling from Carlow to train and play in SETU Arena up to four or five times a week, he is clearly as determined as he is ambitious, but he is keen to acknowledge those who have helped him in his football career so far. “There’s a lot of people who helped me stay focused and to work hard and who gave me opportunities to progress, from the coaches in New Oak in Carlow Town, the Carlow Academy coaches, all the coaching staff in Waterford FC and, of course, my parents’ support – driving all over the place for me.” Waterford fans will follow his progress in Poland this week and for many years to come because the latest Boy in Green is very happy to wear blue too.

The Republic of Ireland Under-16s squad for the doubleheader in Poland is as follows -

Goalkeepers: Alex Byrne (Shamrock Rovers), Seb Clarke (St Pat’s).
Defenders: Maxim Afonin (Shamrock Rovers), Alfie Bedlow (Burton Albion), Jayden Marshall (Shamrock Rovers), Joe McKeown (Shelbourne) Ben Nicholls (Bohemians), Charlie Nolan (Shamrock Rovers).
Midfielders: Adrian Rascau (Bohemians), Ciaran Daly (Shamrock Rovers), Cormac Lowry (Waterford), Josh O’Dwyer (Shamrock Rovers), Bobby Zeller (Shamrock Rovers).
Forwards: Sheikhan Aljabir (Shelbourne), Johnny Collins (Shamrock Rovers), Corey Fay (Shamrock Rovers), Ethan Kelly (St Pat’s), Jamie O’Donnell (Derry City), Archie Quinn (Shamrock Rovers), Kai Morrall (Liverpool).